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IUFRO TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC IUFRO TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC RELATION PROFESSIONALS RELATION PROFESSIONALS

IN FOREST SCIENCESIN FOREST SCIENCES

22ndnd MEETING, FEBRUARY 5 MEETING, FEBRUARY 5THTH ~ 8 ~ 8THTH 2004, 2004, USDA FOREST SERVICE, SEATTLE, USAUSDA FOREST SERVICE, SEATTLE, USA

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SUCCESS STORY IN PUBLIC RELATIONS SUCCESS STORY IN PUBLIC RELATIONS OF FOREST SCIENCES: OF FOREST SCIENCES:

THE MEDIA EXPERIENCES IN SRI THE MEDIA EXPERIENCES IN SRI LANKALANKA

MANGALA DE ZOYSAMANGALA DE ZOYSA

UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNAUNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA

SRI LANKASRI LANKA

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THE PROBLEMTHE PROBLEM

Sri Lanka was popular for its beauty of nature

Classical community lived in harmony with forest

Foreign invasion, agriculture, change of socio-economics conditions damaged natural ecosystems

Harmonious utilization and conservation has become a responsibility of forest authority and public

(Media Public, Citizen - Action Public, Local Public and General Public)

PR got momentum as a tool in damage controlling and stress management in forest and environment.

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THE MEDIA NETWORK:THE MEDIA NETWORK:

M.B.C. Network (Pvt) Ltd, is a private radio and

television network

Manage

Two radio channels: "Sirasa FM (Sinhala)" and

"Yes FM (English)"

Two Television channels: "Sirasa TV (Sinhala)"

and "MTV (English)"

Island-wide coverage of broadcasting and telecasting

"Sampath Bank" a private commercial bank sponsors

PR program

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THE RADIO PROGRAMTHE RADIO PROGRAM

"Parisarayata vinadiak (one minute for the environment)"

Broadcasts different incidents, events, messages, warnings daily since 1995

Twice a day in morning and evening Takes about 2 or 3 minute The main objectives are to:

Acquire knowledge by media professionals Make public aware about environmentImprove knowledge, change attitude and pursue

behavior of public to protect and promote

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THE TV PROGRAMTHE TV PROGRAM

"Soba Sampath (Natural Resources)" under "Green TV"

Telecast daily, 3 times a day since 1998

Sponsorship by "Sampath Bank".

Televised on:

Events: competitions, exhibitions, tree planting

campaigns etc.

Important messages: "Animal grazing destroys the

village forest"

Complicated issues: "Scientific reforestation"

discussed by invited scientists

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COLLECTION OF INFORMATIONCOLLECTION OF INFORMATION

A wide range of publics sends information

Inform over telephone, visiting the station or by post

(more than 500 letters per week)

Mostly from students about what they observe,

heard, learn or read:

Destruction (eg: unscientific forest harvesting)

Protection (eg: Bio-diversity)

Improvement (eg: Agroforestry)

Strategic approaches (eg: Environmental society)

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COLLECTION OF INFORMATION con….COLLECTION OF INFORMATION con….

Citizen - Action Public, Local Public and General

Public complain about threats to environment by:

Businessmen (eg: Illicit felling)

Politicians (eg: Patronizing behavior)

Projects (eg: Deforestation in sensitive locations)

Nature (eg: Soil erosion)

Politicians, government institutes etc., inform about

their favorable activities (eg: Reforestation and

afforestation programs)

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COLLECTION OF INFORMATION con...COLLECTION OF INFORMATION con...

Police Officers, Forest Officers, Civil Administrators:

Inform problems need quick attention of general

public (eg: Adverse impacts of forest destruction)

Seek assistance confidentially to solve problems

Problems that can not be solved through normal

legal procedures (eg: Destructive felling by large

timber traders)

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DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCEDEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

Make public aware about environment (eg: Beautiful

forest landscape)

Broadcast proven stories

Develop public trust and respect

Song "Sirasa tells the road" and "yours friend forever"

Specific music at beginning alarm regular listeners

Announced by same popular media personnel

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SCIENCES IN THE PROGRAMSCIENCES IN THE PROGRAM

Students send information with approval of teachers

Clarify information of general public from relevant

authorities, officers and villagers

Consult scientists in forest department or universities

before giving publicity

Scientists solve complex problems

Scientists are asked independent scientific statements

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SCIENCES IN THE PROGRAM con...SCIENCES IN THE PROGRAM con...

Awareness messages (eg: Forest conservation) are

prepared by scientists or with assistance of scientists

Media change method of presentation, simplifies

wording and present in comprehensive manner

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PUBLIC RESPONSES / IMPACTSPUBLIC RESPONSES / IMPACTS

Large number of students

Regularly listen

Request copies of messages for study purposes

Formed societies and inform its activities

Conduct "One minute for environment" programs

Establish “Environment courts" to punish offenders

(eg: Watering trees)

Number of letters sending is rapidly increasing

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PUBLIC RESPONSES / IMPACTS con...PUBLIC RESPONSES / IMPACTS con...

Public confidence to pursue government (eg: prevent

forest destruction)

Police cannot ignore distractions by influential personnel

Offensive incidents (eg: Misuse of forest resources) are

solved or settled without giving publicity

Politicians and officers corrected mistakes

(eg: patronizing behavior)

Politicians and businessmen threat for publicizing

destruction (eg: illicit timber trade)

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PUBLIC RESPONSES / IMPACTS con….PUBLIC RESPONSES / IMPACTS con….

Request more information (eg: Rear species and

specific locations)

Repeatedly inform willingness to participate (eg: Tree

planting campaigns)

Leading Newspapers describe as "One hour worth of

one minute“

The program won Environment Award

Demand for commercial ads during the period

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BENEFITS TO THE MEDIABENEFITS TO THE MEDIA

Listeners and respondents rapidly increasing

Commercial advertisements earns income

The cost for a Radio Program per month is

approximately US $ 1,020

TV program for one moth period require US $ 5,510

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FUTURE OF THE PROGRAMSFUTURE OF THE PROGRAMS

Planning to restructure programs

Cover all important aspects of environment

Balanced programs for all different publics

Programs with more scientific background

Make message more accurate and develop credibility

Educate and train personnel to produce more

scientific programs

Create opportunities to interact with scientists

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FUTURE OF THE PROGRAMS con….FUTURE OF THE PROGRAMS con….

Very happy to extend their fullest cooperation for TF

on PR in Forest Science

Provide copies of their Radio and TV programs

Assure a media support if the next TF meeting is held

in Sri Lanka.

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CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

Media considers PR functions very important for

sustainable forest and environment management

Interact with public, scientists, policy makers, politicians

and other stakeholders efficiently and effectively

Collect, disseminate and share wide range of knowledge

and information

Protect forest from uncontrollable forces that cannot be

controlled by forest authorities.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Mr. Upul Nanayakkara producer of TV programs

Mr. Lal Sarathkumara producer of Radio programs

Mr. Kingsly Ratnayaka, Director of the Network

For providing generous support and kind

encouragement

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Thank You